Aster plant named ‘Yomelody’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Aster  plant named ‘Yomelody’, characterized by its uniform, outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit; freely branching growth habit; dark green-colored foliage; uniform flowering habit; natural flowering season around September 17 th ; daisy-type inflorescences with violet-colored ray florets; and good garden performance.

Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Aster hybrida cultivarYomelody.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Asterplant, botanically known as Aster hybrida and hereinater referred to bythe name ‘Yomelody’.

The new Aster is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventor in Salinas, Calif. and Alva, Fla. The objective of theprogram is to create or discover new potted Aster cultivars that have auniform plant growth habit, good vigor and strong branching habit,numerous inflorescences, desirable inflorescence form and floret colorsuniform flowering response and good postproduction longevity.

The new Aster originated from an open-pollination made by the Inventorin August, 1992, in Salinas, Calif., of the Aster cultivar Royal Ruby,not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a an unknown Asterselection, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Asterwas discovered and selected by the Inventor in January, 2000, as asingle flowering plant from within the resulting progeny of the statedopen-pollination grown in a controlled environment in Alva, Fla.

The selection of this plant was based on its uniform plant growth habit,good vigor and strong branching habit, numerous inflorescences,desirable inflorescence form and floret colors, uniform floweringresponse and good postproduction longevity.

Asexual reproduction of the new Aster by vegetative tip cuttings wasfirst conducted in Alva, Fla. in March, 2000. Asexual reproduction bycuttings has shown that the unique features of this new Aster are stableand reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Yomelody has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, daylength, and/or lightlevel, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Yomelody’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Yomelody’ as a new and distinct cultivar ofAster:

-   -   1. Uniform, outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching growth habit.    -   3. Dark green-colored foliage.    -   4. Uniform flowering habit.    -   5. Natural flowering season around September 17^(th).    -   6. Daisy-type inflorescences with violet-colored ray florets.    -   7. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Aster can be compared to plants of the female parent,the cultivar Royal Ruby. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Alva,Fla., plants of the new Aster differed from plants of the cultivar RoyalRuby, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Inflorescences of plants of the new Aster and the cultivar        Royal Ruby differed in ray floret coloration as plants of the        cultivar Royal Ruby had red purple-colored ray florets.    -   2. Inflorescences of plants of the new Aster were longer-lasting        than inflorescences of plants of the cultivar Royal Ruby.

Plants of the new Aster can be compared to plants of the cultivarPatricia Ballard, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted inAlva, Fla., plants of the new Aster differed from plants of the cultivarPatricia Ballard in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Aster were stronger, fuller and more rain        tolerant than plants of the cultivar Patricia Ballard.    -   2. Plants of the new Aster flowered about four days later than        plants of the cultivar Patricia Ballard under natural season        conditions.    -   3. Inflorescences of plants of the new Aster and the cultivar        Patricia Ballard differed in ray floret coloration as ray        florets of plants of the cultivar Patricia Ballard were pink in        color.    -   4. Inflorescences of plants of the new Aster were longer-lasting        than plants of the cultivar Patricia Ballard.

Plants of the new Aster can also be compared to plants of the cultivarPurple Viking, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,357. In side-by-sidecomparisons conducted in Alva, Fla., plants of the new Aster differedfrom plants of the cultivar Purple Viking in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Aster were larger and more mounded than        plants of the cultivar Purple Viking.    -   2. Plants of the new Aster flowered about five days later than        plants of the cultivar Purple Viking under natural season        conditions.    -   3. Plants of the new Aster had larger inflorescences with more        ray florets than plants of the cultivar Purple Viking.    -   4. Ray florets of inflorescences of plants of the new Aster were        lighter in color than ray florets of inflorescences of plants of        the cultivar Purple Viking.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Aster showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possibleto obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ from the color values cited in the detailedbotanical description which accurately describe the colors of the newAster.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Yomelody’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet comprises a close-up view of typicalinflorescences of ‘Yomelody’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The aforementionedphotographs, following observations and measurements describe plantsgrown and flowered during the winter in Alva, Fla., in apolyethylene-covered greenhouse and under conditions which approximatethose generally used in commercial potted Aster production. During theproduction of these plants, day temperatures were about 25° C. and nighttemperatures were about 18° C. Unrooted cuttings were directly stuck in15-cm containers, exposed to long day/short night conditions, andpinched several times. At the time of the final pinch, photoinductiveshort day/long night treatments were initiated.

-   Botanical classification: Aster hybrida cultivar Yomelody.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Aster hybrida cultivar Royal Ruby,            not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown Aster hybrida selection,            not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About one week at 21° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—About 16 to 19 days at 21°            C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white, close to 155D.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Appearance.—Daisy-type potted Aster. Upright with lateral            branches outwardly spreading; inverted triangle with            uniformly mounded crown. Strong and freely branching growth            habit with lateral branches developing at every node when            pinched (removal of terminal apices); dense and full plants.            Moderately vigorous.        -   Plant height.—About 23 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 28 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 18 cm. Diameter: About            1.75 mm. Internode length: About 1 cm. Strength: Strong.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 147A.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate; simple;            sessile. Length: About 3.5 cm. Width: About 8 mm. Shape:            Linear. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color:            Developing and fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 147A.            Developing and fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 147B.            Venation, upper surface: 147A. Venation, lower surface:            147B.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Appearance.—Daisy-type inflorescence form with linear-shaped            ray florets. Inflorescences terminal and axillary. Disk and            ray florets develop acropetally on a capitulum.            Inflorescences not fragrant.        -   Flowering response.—Under natural conditions, plants flower            on September 17^(th) in Alva, Fla. Uniform flowering habit.        -   Inflorescence longevity.—Inflorescences maintain good color            and substance for about one to two weeks on the plant.        -   Quantity of inflorescences.—About six open inflorescences            per lateral branch.        -   Inflorescence bud.—Height: About 3.5 mm. Diameter: About            3 mm. Shape: Spherical. Color: Close to 147A.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 3.4 cm.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 1.1 cm.        -   Diameter of disc.—About 7 mm.        -   Receptacle diameter.—About 1.5 mm.        -   Ray florets.—Shape: Linear. Orientation: Initially upright,            then about 90° from vertical. Aspect: Straight, mostly flat.            Length: About 1.6 cm. Corolla tube length: About 2.5 mm.            Width: About 2 mm. Apex: Acute to emarginate. Base: Fused            into a corolla tube. Margin: Entire. Texture: Smooth,            glabrous, satiny. Number of ray florets per inflorescence:            About 41 arranged in about two whorls. Color: When opening,            upper surface: Close to 86B. When opening, lower surface:            Close to 86C to 86D. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to            86B and 86C; color becoming closer to 86D with development.            Fully opened, lower surface: Lighter than 86D.        -   Disc florets.—Arrangement: Massed at center of receptacle.            Shape: Tubular, elongated. Apex: Five-pointed. Length: About            7 mm. Diameter, apex: About 1. mm. Diameter, base: About            1 mm. Number of disc florets per inflorescence: About 52.            Color: Apex: Close to 155D. Mid-section: Close to 144D.            Base: Close to 155D.        -   Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 40. Length:            About 4 mm. Width: Less than 1 mm. Shape: Ligulate. Apex:            Acute. Base: Truncate, fused. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper            surface: Waxy, smooth. Texture, lower surface: Smooth.            Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 147A.        -   Peduncles.—Length: First peduncle: About 2.4 cm. Fourth            peduncle: About 2.5 cm. Diameter: Less than 1 mm. Angle to            vertical: About 45° from vertical. Strength: Strong,            flexible. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 147A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Anther color: Close to 79B.            Pollen amount: None observed. Gynoecium: Style color: Close            to 79B. Stigma color: Close to 11D.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to    Asters has not been observed on plants grown under commercial    greenhouse conditions.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Aster have been observed to be    rain and wind tolerant and to tolerate temperatures from 0 to more    than 38° C.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Aster plant named ‘Yomelody’, asillustrated and described.